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His throat worked and his gaze met hers. “In some ways, yes, I’d like this to be a date. You’re an interesting, smart, and beautiful woman. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t attraction on my end. But you’re also my neighbor and tenant and a good bit younger than me. And even if there weren’t those factors in play, I’m in a weird place in my life right now, so I’m not dating. I promise I came here tonight for the friendship and company. This wasn’t some scheme to turn it into something it’s not.”
Her mind spun at all the information. Hill was attracted to her but currently not dating. In a weird place. She could relate. “Wow, well, okay. That wasn’t what I was expecting. I…appreciate your honesty.”
“I’ve made this completely awkward, haven’t I?” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I’m really good at doing that these days.”
She smiled, endeared. “Ishouldfeel awkward, but for some reason, I think you made me more comfortable. Honesty is my favorite quality in a friend.” She gave him a pointed look. “And, for the record, in the spirit of honesty, I think you’re superhot.”
His eyebrows shot up.
She groaned. “Don’t look so surprised. Have you looked in a mirror? Have you tasted your food? But I bet I could out-weird you in the weird-place zone. So I’m glad we’re on the same page. We’re here to be friends. To watch horror movies. And to possibly boost the ratings on my struggling podcast.”
His lips curved at that. “Beautiful yet so pushy.”
“That’s my tagline.” She searched his gaze. “So we’re cool?”
His shoulders seemed to relax. “We’re cool.”
“All right, back to bloody murder.”
But before she could hit Play, he put his hand on her forearm, stilling her. She looked over at him.
“Thanks,” he said with a little nod.
“For what?”
He gave her arm a gentle squeeze, sending a shimmer of awareness through her, and then released her. “For being pushy. I need that right now. I’ve been too good at saying no to everything and everyone lately.”
She gave him a conspiratorial look. “Oh, if it’s pushy you’re in need of, you’ve picked the right new friend. I’m your worst nightmare.” She cocked her head toward the TV. “Now pay attention because some day this week, you’re coming with me to WorkAround and we’re doing that tour.”
“Andi.”
She reached out and pressed her fingers over his lips. “Nope. You’ve given me the green light to be pushy. Contract has been signed. You’re doomed. So just say yes, Hill. I promise I’ll take good care of you. It won’t hurt at all.”
He stared at her for a long moment but then nodded.
She lowered her hand. “Good.”
“But that doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to any podcast,” he added.
“Of course not.” She shifted, turning her body back toward the movie, but landing a little closer to Hill. She could feel the heat coming off him. So much of her wanted to lean in to him, to have him put his arm around her, bend down, and kiss her with those lips she’d just been touching. But now that she knew he wasn’t interested in starting anything up with her, that took the weight out of the thoughts. She could indulge in her little fantasies about him without playing the what-if game or trying to read if this was a date or not a date, if he was going to make a move or not, if she was going to panic if he touched her. Boundaries had been set.
She was safe.
***
Hill was engrossed inHalloween IIafter he and Andi had decided to go on to the sequel, but in a quiet part of the movie, deep breathing caught his attention. He turned, finding Andi with her cheek against the back of the couch, her eyes closed, fast asleep.
He reached for the remote and hit Pause, afraid a jump scare would wake her, and checked the time on his phone. Damn, how was it almost one in the morning? After watching the first movie, they’d taken a break and Andi had thrown some premade cookie dough in the oven. Somehow, over warm cookies and cold milk, they’d ended up deciding to make the night a double feature. But his movie buddy had apparently run out of steam.
Of course she had. She’d told him earlier how much work she’d done today. Unlike him, she had actual jobs with actual responsibilities. He should’ve left after the first movie and given her time to rest instead of selfishly wanting to soak up more time with her.
After she’d admitted that she was attracted to him, the whole night had taken on a different glow. When he’d first gotten there, he’d felt tentative and unsure about what the situation was. Then when she’d made the comment about how he had to have been attractive when hewasa firefighter—past tense—he’d gotten the message. But then she’d quickly corrected his assumption. She thought he was superhotnow.
That simple compliment had stirred up something inside him that had been dormant for a long damn time. He hadn’t lost his ability to feel desire after everything happened, butfeeling desiredwas something he hadn’t felt in this new version of his life. It’d been like a shot of adrenaline.
He’d wanted to take back everything he’d said about not dating and being in a weird place and had wanted to pull Andi to him, to kiss her, to show her how he wanted her, to feel her wanting him. To forget that there were any complications with her being his tenant and neighbor, to forget he was in no place to date anyone, to ignore that sex would be all he was capable of offering. But Andi had laid down her own honesty. She had said she was in a strange place, too. She hadn’t told him why or what that meant, but he remembered her statement from the night of the break-in. She never let guys sleep over.
There was a story there, and he had a feeling it was an ugly one. He would respect her boundaries.
